Top European standards approval for wood pellets

Top European standards approval for Nature’s Flame wood pellet fuel

Nature’s Flame fuel has been endorsed by DIN CERTCO, Europe’s leading product quality standards body for residential wood pellet fuel.

DIN CERTCO is an arm of Germany’s Institute for Standardisation and its wood pellet certification criteria is being used as the basis of a proposed European Standard. Achieving certification required Nature’s Flame to demonstrate quality assurance through its entire production chain, says General Manager, Kerry Ellem.

“It’s a difficult and reasonably expensive certification to get and to maintain because it certifies our processes as well as the quality of the final product,” Mr Ellem says. “It is the proxy European quality standard and having the DINplus certification mark on our packaging is an important part of what customers look for in selecting wood pellet fuel.”

Nature’s Flame is about to ship a 600 tonne cargo of pellet fuel to Italy. Packaged in 15kg bags, the consignment is for a customer which supplies the household market in northern Italy. The Solid Energy business is also exporting bulk cargos which are helping European electricity generators reduce emissions from their plants.

Nature’s Flame fuel also carries BioGro international certification of its ash, meaning it can be confidently applied in organic gardening and does not need to be sent to landfill. Nature’s Flame took part in the work which resulted in Australia-New Zealand standards determining the power output, efficiency, and emissions of wood pellet fires (AS/NZS 5078:2007 and AS/NZS 4886:2007).

Background: Nature’s Flame wood pellets are made at plants in Taupo, Rotorua and Rolleston, near Christchurch, from untreated pine wood residues. The business was established in 2003, part of Solid Energy’s commitment to help New Zealand in its transition to clean, affordable and renewable energy forms. In New Zealand, its fuel is supplied in 15kg bags for the home-heating market and delivered in bulk direct to customers’ bunkers by trucks operating in the Central North Island, Auckland, Canterbury, Otago and Southland. In the 2004 EECA Energywise Awards, Nature’s Flame was joint winner of the Meridian Energy Renewable Energy Company of the Year.

Kerry Ellem was appointed Nature’s Flame General Manager on 1 June and is based in Taupo. He replaces Eric Gillan, who has returned to a contracting role in the forestry sector after making a significant contribution to the business over three years. Solid Energy’s Renewable Energy General Manager, Andy Matheson, says Kerry Ellem’s significant experience in the forestry area, from plantations to wood processing and international sales, will be an asset to Nature’s Flame. Mr Ellem was the Chief Executive Officer of Selwyn Plantation Board Ltd between 2000 and 2008, held senior management roles with Masport Ltd, Winstone Pulp International Ltd and James Hardie Building Products and has an extensive background in both domestic and international sales and marketing, forestry and forest products processing.

ENDS

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